Isolation and characterization of a microbial pigment obtained from Serratia marcescens as a natural food colourant

Abstract

The use of naturally sourced pigments in the food industry is limited due to their instability when exposed to processes and parameters such as light, pH, and high temperatures. Research has moved towards exploiting pigmented microorganism as sources of potential natural colorants, with the color red representing the largest market segment in the color industry, utilized in various food applications. This study was aimed isolation and characterization of Prodigiosin obtained from Serratia marcescens for potential application as a food colorant. Optimization results were achieved by cultivation in lysogeny broth (Lb) at 25ºC for a duration of 120h at pH 6.5, prodigiosin showed a gradual reduction in pH stability as well as a rapid change in color upon the addition of respective buffers due to protonation and deprotonation of respective groups. Instability to light due to chemical reaction such as oxidation and metal ion loss and instability at high temperatures was due to destruction of pyrrole group which is responsible for the reddish characteristic color. Results concluded that prodigiosin would be more applicable for utilization as a colorant in food applications within a temperature range of 0 to 20ºC and pH of range 2 to 7.

Prodigiosin-Functionalized Probiotic Ghosts as a Bioinspired Combination Against Colorectal Cancer Cells

“…It has been reported that short chain alcohols modulate the properties of phospholipid bilayers promoting their permeabilization [67,68]. By promoting PG protonation [69,70], the acetic acid component potentially enhances PG binding to the negatively charged LAG membrane via strong electrostatic interaction with head groups of teichoic and lipoteichoiuc acids. Localization of PG in the LAGs cell envelopes was verified by TEM (Fig.…”

Prodigiosin-functionalized Lactobacillus acidophilus ghost: A bioinspired combination against colorectal cancer cells

“…A simple incubation method allowed 3.9% loading of LAGs by varying the composition of a methanolacetic acid solvent system, temperature, incubation time and agitation rate. The solvent system had a key role in PG loading as it was shown to promote permeabilization of the bacterial phospholipid bilayer 37,38 and protonation of PG 39,40 . This would enhance PG binding to the negatively charged LAG membrane via strong electrostatic interaction PG loading which was con rmed by digital and microscopic imaging (Fig.…”